At the Root: Chef Hayleigh’s Passion Grows at Field & Vine

Knapp Winery’s on-site restaurant, Field & Vine, is a hidden gem of Finger Lakes wine country. Formerly the Vineyard Restaurant, it was actually the region’s first restaurant to open within a winery and remains one of the few to this day. Now, the restaurant is in a new era with Executive Chef Hayleigh Clark at the helm.

Chef Hayleigh’s journey into the culinary world started humbly, stepping into the industry as line cook at local diner Trail’s End. It was here where Clark first fell in love with the rhythm of the kitchen and the magic of making people happy through food. From there, she moved on to Water Street Café under Chef James Brown, where she gained her first taste of fine dining. At Sackett’s Table, she started as a dishwasher, but quickly rose to sauté chef while honing in her skills.

Now just four years into her culinary career, she’s already leading a kitchen of her own here in the Finger Lakes. Her cooking philosophy is straightforward and uncompromising:

“The goal is to always make a dish better, every single time.”

It’s a mindset that’s won her a following—especially for her Chicken Provençal, which diners often call the best they’ve ever had. When asked what her favorite dish to make is, Chef Hayleigh finds it hard to answer, but says pasta-making remains her favorite ritual. For her, it’s a meditative act and a form of stress relief. The pasta at Field & Vine is made in-house, entirely from scratch.

Inspired by Mentors, Motherhood, and the Magic of a Good Meal

When it comes to inspiration, Clark is quick to credit her mentors, including Chef James Brown and Chef Brett Ganetti. She loves the challenges of working with ever-changing ingredients in our seasonal region.

Unable to pinpoint a favorite food, she exclaims she loves everything from her 90 year-old grandmother’s recipes to five-star culinary dishes.

Outside the kitchen, she’s just as passionate. Last season, she worked while very pregnant; now, she spends her time off with her family and can’t wait to bring her baby on waterfall hikes this summer.

As for the future of Field & Vine, Chef Hayleigh’s fervent goal is to continue building an exceptional team.

“That’s the root of everything”, she says.

Plan your visit to Field & Vine restaurant this summer: